1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a push-pull type camera module for a portable wireless terminal which is extendable from the portable wireless terminal for taking pictures, and more particularly, to a push-pull type camera module for a portable wireless terminal, which provides a self-starting camera mode upon the extension of a lens barrel and an automatic picture flip-flopping when the lens barrel is rotated up to a predetermined angle.
2. Background of the Prior Art
With the development of the electronic and communication industries, portable wireless terminals are becoming common and being more advanced so as to have compact, light-weight, and multi-functional features to satisfy consumer demand. To that end, various peripheral devices are being developed and advanced for the portable wireless terminals. For example, the most recent portable wireless terminals are provided with a camera module, rotatably installed at a predetermined location for taking pictures, and a MP3 player for playing music files. Therefore, the recent portable wireless terminals are improved over the old portable wireless terminals which provided only simple call functions.
The camera module is embedded in various types of portable wireless terminals such as the bar type, slide type, and folder type portable wireless terminals. In the bar type and slide type portable wireless terminals, the camera module is rotatably installed at an upper portion of the terminal or an upper portion of a slide body, such that the user can easily take pictures of a front target object, as well as taking self-portraits. In the folder type portable wireless terminals, the camera module is installed at the back of a folder, rotatably coupled with a main body, or it is rotatably installed at a hinge module that is mounted in the folder type portable wireless terminal to provide the rotating motion of the folder. Though the camera module installed at the back of the folder is not suitable for the user to take self-portraits, the camera at the hinge module is suitable for the user to take pictures of the front target object as well as self-portraits because it can be rotated up to about 180°.
As described above, the camera modules of the various types of portable wireless terminals are exposed to take pictures of external objects. However, the exposed camera may be easily damaged by impact. Also, foreign substances may easily build up on the lens of the camera module, thereby causing image degradation, and requiring frequent cleaning and replacement of the lens.
To eliminate the drawbacks, a push-pull type camera module capable of extending and retracting motion is introduced to extend the camera module only when taking pictures. The push-pull type camera module can be constructed by employing a structure of a conventional push-pull type switch. In the folder type portable wireless terminal, the push-pull type camera module can be installed at a position where a hinge arm is installed beside a hinge module. The push-pull type camera of the folder type portable wireless terminal includes an outer barrel structured like the hinge arm and an inner barrel in the outer barrel. The inner barrel is capable of extending from the outer barrel in an axial direction. The inner barrel includes a lens assembly at an outside surface. The push-pull type switch is installed between the external and inner barrels, such that when pressed once the inner barrel can be fully extended from the outer barrel to expose the lens assembly. The extended inner barrel can be rotated up to a predetermined angle, such that the user can easily take pictures of a front target object as well as self-portraits. When the camera module is not used, the user can retract the inner barrel into the outer barrel by pressing the inner barrel once more. The push-pull type switch locks the retracted inner barrel in the outer barrel by hooking the inner barrel. Therefore, the extending and retracting structure of the push-pull type camera module can eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of other types of camera modules.
However, the push-pull type camera module, as well as other types of the camera modules have disadvantages in that the user has to manipulate the keypad assembly of the terminal to turn on the camera module. The user also has to manipulate the keypad assembly to flip a preview picture when the camera module is rotated more than a predetermined angle.